Immortal Burial Poison-Inducing Pill, Gu He Crosses the Twin Tribulations

The wind-eroded rock pillar battlefield, once ravaged by intense combat, still bore the lingering scent of incineration. Spatial rifts, like scars upon the earth, whimpered faintly amidst the scorching sand, as if recounting the harrowing battle that had just transpired. Xiao Zhan's figure merged silently into the spatial fluctuations, like a drop of water vanishing into the sea. When he reappeared, he stood firmly atop the massive metallic base of the Ten Thousand Dragon-Phoenix Pagoda. This foundation radiated a majestic, subterranean dragon aura, as if a slumbering giant were slowly awakening, unleashing boundless majesty and power.

Beneath the foundation, the traces of battle remained stark. Shattered rocks lay scattered in disarray, like withered branches after a gale; the solidified, dark-purple dust in the shape of a human silhouette—a grim mark left by the annihilation of the Rock Specter—seemed to testify to its former terror and might. In the air, the foul stench of soul poison intertwined with the lingering aura of destruction, refusing to dissipate, like a malodorous brand left by the conflict. Under the command of Yue Mei, the surviving Snake-People Tribe warriors methodically cleared the battlefield, carefully carrying away the wounded with every movement reflecting a deep reverence for life. As they looked toward Xiao Yi Xian, who stood alone at the edge of the foundation with eyes as deep and purple as tranquil pools, their gazes were filled with awe and gratitude, as if they saw the dawn of hope within her.

At this moment, Xiao Yan was clutching his chest, a streak of dried blood at the corner of his mouth. His face was pale as paper, yet his eyes were exceptionally bright, burning like two intense flames. He walked quickly toward the foundation, each step filled with determination and persistence.

"Father!" Upon seeing the blood-stained left shoulder of Xiao Zhan and the lingering fatigue between his brows, Xiao Yan's heart tightened as if gripped by an invisible hand, his concern evident, "Your wounds..."

"It is of no consequence." Xiao Zhan's voice was steady and powerful, like a clear spring flowing through the mountains, providing a sense of reassuring strength. His gaze swept slowly over the stable, pulsating vortex of dragon aura at the center of the foundation, which beat with the rhythm of life like the earth's own pulse. Subsequently, his eyes fell upon Xiao Yi Xian, and he nodded slightly, his expression filled with appreciation and gratitude, "It is thanks to you, Lady Xiao Yi Xian, for acting in time to stabilize the foundation." He clearly perceived that the circulation of the dragon aura was smoother and more stable than before, like a rushing river flowing without obstruction. Clearly, this was the result of Xiao Yi Xian meticulously refining it with the power of her poison pill; her contribution was like a beacon in the darkness, providing a turning point for this battle.

Xiao Yi Xian shook her head slightly, her cold, purple eyes resembling the most mysterious stars in the deep night sky as she looked toward the ghastly, terrifying wound on Xiao Zhan's left shoulder. The flesh was turned outward, and a dark, deathly force coiled around it like a venomous snake, emitting a strange aura that caused her to knit her brows almost imperceptibly. She said softly, "Uncle Xiao's wound... contains an extremely potent power of the deathly silence rule. This force is even more tyrannical and difficult to handle than the toxins remaining between your brows." Having said this, her fingertips trembled, and a wisp of deep, night-like dark purple poison mist swirled out, resembling a nimble purple snake, "Perhaps... we can attempt to suppress it."

"I shall trouble you." Xiao Zhan's expression remained composed; he did not decline. After the harrowing battle with the Nether Duo, especially having taken the Death Soul Spear—which contained the terrifying rule of deathly silence—directly from Elder Ming, the injury on his left shoulder was far more severe than it appeared. That deathly force clung to the wound like a maggot in the bone, constantly eroding the vitality of his flesh and blood, acting like cold frost that hindered the restorative properties of the Dragon-Phoenix Power and prevented the wound from healing.

Seeing this, Xiao Yi Xian took a light step forward. The wisp of dark purple poison mist at her fingertips, like the most delicate probe in the world, approached the edge of the wound with extreme caution. With every inch it drew closer, she could feel the resistance and threat emanating from that deathly force.

Chi... sss...

At that moment, a sudden change occurred!

When the dark purple poison threads touched the edge of the wound—which was black-green and radiated a dense aura of deathly silence—they did not slowly decompose and dissolve as they had when suppressing the residual extinction poison. Instead, it was as if cold water had been dropped into boiling oil, instantly triggering a violent reaction!

Hum--!!!

The black-green deathly force at Xiao Zhan's left shoulder seemed thoroughly enraged, like a long-slumbering beast suddenly awakened. It contracted violently, gathering all its power together, and then, like a volcanic eruption, it burst forth! A jet-black current, far more violent than before, icy and bone-chilling, and filled with a will of destruction, surged out like a black evil dragon, carrying boundless rage and killing intent as it slammed fiercely into Xiao Yi Xian's dark purple poison threads!

Boom!

In an instant, an invisible energy shockwave erupted between the two like a surging tide! The force was so violent that it felt as if the most ferocious storms in heaven and earth had collided. Xiao Yi Xian felt a massive impact rush toward her and let out a muffled groan; the dark purple poison threads swirling at her fingertips were instantly scattered, like withered leaves caught in a gale. Her delicate body swayed slightly, like a willow branch in the wind, and she retreated two steps before stabilizing herself. A flash of undisguised astonishment crossed her cold, purple eyes! The resistant will of this deathly force was unexpectedly tenacious, and its rule level far exceeded her estimations, standing before her like an insurmountable mountain.

Simultaneously, a tearing pain erupted from Xiao Zhan's left shoulder, as if countless sharp blades were cutting into him at once. Pale golden blood, mixed with the black-green ice shards of deathly force that had been forced out, sprayed forth like arrows, carving strange arcs through the air. He let out a muffled groan, and the phantom of crimson-gold dragon scales instantly manifested on his skin. These scales shimmered with a mysterious and majestic light, acting like an ancient suit of armor to forcibly suppress the restless wound and temporarily bind the rampaging deathly force.

"It is no use!" Xiao Yi Xian stabilized her breath, her voice carrying a hint of gravity, cold as a winter wind, "This power... its rule level is too high. Although my poison pill can induce a slight change, it is difficult to forcibly suppress or decompose it; instead, it only stimulates a backlash. If I attempt to purify it by force, it will only result in mutual destruction—it would be like throwing an egg against a rock, overestimating my own capabilities."

Xiao Zhan's eyes were icy, like stars in the cold night, radiating a frigid light. He had long since anticipated that the power of a Soul Hall Saint would not be easy to deal with; this deathly force was like a beast hidden in the darkness, cunning and dangerous. "It is fine, just suppress it for now. This debt will be settled sooner or later." His voice was low and firm, like an oath from the abyss.

Having said this, he flipped his hand to retrieve and consume several healing pills, which emitted a faint medicinal fragrance like the dew of life. Coordinating with the Dragon-Phoenix Power surging within his body, he temporarily forced the rampaging deathly force in his left shoulder back deep into the wound. However, the cold, erosive sensation remained like a shadow, gnawing at his vitality like a maggot in the bone, preventing him from relaxing his vigilance for even a moment.

"Father, Yan'er has an urgent matter to report!" Seeing that his father's condition had been temporarily stabilized, Xiao Yan felt the heavy stone in his heart drop slightly and hurried forward. His expression was complex, a mixture of excitement and gravity, as if a scorching flame were burning in the depths of his heart, yet shrouded by an invisible layer of frost.

Xiao Zhan's gaze was like a torch as he turned slowly toward his son, his voice steady and powerful: "Speak."

"It is regarding the third Bronze Fragment!" Xiao Yan lowered his voice, his eyes flashing with a strange and mysterious light, as if hiding boundless secrets, "Just now, when the foundation was attacked, the fragment I left in the quiet room suddenly moved violently, as if awakened by some mysterious power! I forcibly resonated with it, and in an instant, a scene of an extremely terrifying domain of death appeared in my mind!" He quickly adjusted his breathing, slowly unfolding the scene he had witnessed like a scroll: "Shattered stars drifted like withered petals in the dark universe; burning chaotic demonic flames resembled violent beasts, wantonly devouring everything in their path; a filthy river of blood flowed like a winding dragon, carrying endless death and despair; ancient skeletons, laid out like mountain ranges, seemed like a tragic epic left behind by ancient gods and demons; and the 'Ancient River of Buried Gods,' composed of pure spatial turbulence, spanned the domain like a black python, emitting a bone-chilling aura; and on the 'Demon Peak of Bones' on the opposite shore, shrouded in demonic flames, a massive Bronze Fragment was wedged at an angle, appearing like an ancient summons, or perhaps a temptation of death!"

"Desert of Buried Immortals... Ancient River of Buried Gods... Demon Peak of Bones..." Xiao Zhan repeated these three names slowly, his eyes becoming incomparably deep and grave, as if he could pierce through the mist of time and space to see that unknown domain. Although he had not been there in person, based solely on Xiao Yan's description, he could feel the terror and danger of that domain! It was a forbidden place far exceeding the ordinary dangerous zones of the Dou Qi Continent, appearing like a hall of death, hiding countless secrets and perils.

"System, search for 'Desert of Buried Immortals'." Xiao Zhan murmured in his consciousness, his voice light yet filled with unquestionable firmness.

[Searching... Information incomplete...] The system's voice echoed in his mind, carrying a hint of mechanical coldness.

[Desert of Buried Immortals: Suspected to be formed by the fragments of an ancient god-demon battlefield falling into the Northwest Region of the Dou Qi Continent. The spatial structure here is extremely unstable, the laws are twisted and chaotic, and it is filled with the violence of chaotic demonic flames, the ravages of spatial turbulence, the chill of ancient baleful qi, and the lurking of unknown terrors. Extremely dangerous! For those below the Dou Zong realm, entering is nine deaths and one life!]

[Ancient River of Buried Gods: A core dangerous zone of the Desert of Buried Immortals, composed of pure spatial turbulence and fragmented laws. The spatial fragments within the river are like sharp blades, containing terrifying power of tearing and banishment. The air above the ancient river is permeated with 'God-Eroding Poisonous Miasma,' which can erode Dou Qi and the soul; even a Dou Zong powerhouse would find it difficult to endure for long.]